The Four times Jughead apologized, and the one time he didn't
by Sumthinelse
Summary: Five encounters that begin with a subtle realization. Inspired by great chemistry between the actors portraying Jughead and Betty, and the spoilers for future episodes. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The four times Jughead apologized and the one time he didn't.

Betty Cooper walked into her bedroom with an intense expression on her face. Jughead Jones glanced up from the screen of his laptop and raised an eyebrow.

"Something wrong?" He asked, looking back down at the edited version of his latest article. He'd stopped by her house to go over the article before it went into the next day's edition. The interview with one of their history teachers about Civil War re-enactment had been postponed repeatedly and he'd only just completed it that afternoon. In order to make the latest issue, he'd gone to the Cooper residence to finish.

After her last edits, she'd stepped out to shower and get dressed for dinner. She was meeting her parents to celebrate her mother's birthday, but her mother was fairly understanding of her delay. As owners of a newspaper, Hal and Alice Cooper had missed their share of family dinners to meet a deadline.

"Yeah, my zipper's stuck." The pretty blonde grunted softly with both hands behind her back. She wore a pale green linen dress that suited her warm coloring. The straps drooped over her bare shoulders, where her long blonde hair rested, and she stalked over to her vanity table and picked up a tube of lipstick. "Can you help me?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

Jughead unfolded his long legs and crossed the room to stand behind his friend. She was bent at the waist and looking in the mirror, focusing on her lipstick application. Her dress was zipped above her waist, leaving her back and shoulders naked. He stared for a moment, unaccustomed to seeing this much skin on Betty Cooper. If it had been summer, and he'd been prepared to see swimsuits and shorts, he might not have reacted in a predictably embarrassing way. He'd been hanging around the frilly pink bedroom too long, and his resistance to Betty's femininity was weakened.

Betty didn't seem to notice Jughead's discomfort. She pressed her lips together, setting her lipstick and withdrew the fluffy wand from a tube of dark brown mascara. Her smooth skin was pale and smelled fresh from her shower. No heavy perfume, just some kind of moisturizer that left her looking dewy and with a trace of floral fragrance. He blinked and moved his eyes from the lacy edge of her bra where it fastened in the middle of her back and focused on the troublesome zipper. He gently gripped the metal slider and tugged upwards.

The bottom of Betty's skirt lifted slightly when Jughead pulled, so he quickly dropped it again. He used his thumb and forefinger to hold it and with the other hand he attempted to work it free from a snarl of thread that had come loose. Betty dropped one of her earrings on the carpet and reached down to pick it up. Her round bottom pressed back against the front of Jughead's pants, causing him to grip her waist, quickly. He did his best to hold himself away from her, attempting to avoid poking her firmly with his uncomfortably stiff erection. His thumb grazed her bare skin of her lower back and he desperately wished his pretty friend would exercise some of the Puritanical restraint her mother attempted to instill in her. She didn't seem aware of the suggestive nature of her request to him, or perhaps he was so far into the friend zone that she no longer saw him as male.

Betty found her earring and looked back into the mirror to fasten it. She felt Jughead's warm, broad hands leave her waist and return to her zipper.

"Can you see what it's stuck on?" she asked, taking a delicate gold chain from her jewelry box.

"Yeah," he replied, quietly.

Betty noted some tension in her friend's voice and looked from her own reflection to his. His lips were tightened and he looked focused and intense. He met her gaze and held it for several heartbeats before giving a hard tug and jerking her zipper down, instead of up. Betty's thigh banged against the edge of the vanity when she stood up and turned around too quickly.

"Juggie-" she began.

"Sorry," he said, quickly. "It was caught in some thread above it, and I had to get it loose." His hand stayed on her hip and he was still standing close. He glanced down and Betty thought he was staring at her mouth. She started to lean back but his hands were at her waist and gave her the barest tug forward before settling at the small of her back.

"Um-" she began before her throat closed on the words.

"Don't move." His gaze was intense and he lowered his head a tiny bit. Before she could react, she saw the corner of his mouth twitch and felt his fingers close on the quarrelsome zipper. It slid smoothly to her nape this time.

"Thank you." She pursed her own, pink lips. Her belly had been fluttering over Jughead Jones, who had been helping her with her zipper. She felt silly for being affected by him, and reading into his actions. But he didn't move away.

He lifted the delicate gold chain from her unresisting fingers and brushed her hair back from her shoulder. He carefully unfastened the clasp and lifted it to her collarbone, bringing his hands around her neck and leaning over her shoulder to fasten it. Betty could feel his warmth through his clothes and the gentle pressure of his hands when he lifted her hair. She fisted her hands at her sides to suppress the urge to hold onto his shirt. She felt the cool metal settle against her neck and he dropped the silky mass back to her shoulders.

"Anytime, he said, giving her an appreciative glance that was purely male.

Betty blushed prettily and rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. She pushed past him with annoyance and he chuckled.

"You're a funny guy," she said, trying to sound annoyed to cover for her burning cheeks.

"I might not be a walking pile of testosterone like Reggie and Chuck," Jughead said, picking up his laptop and walked to the doorway of her bedroom. "But I'm still a man." He rapped his knuckle against her door and left. Betty stood, cheeks burning, until she heard the front door close and then let her jelly knees give way and she sat in her chair while she waited for her heart rate to return to normal.


	2. Chapter 2

Betty didn't see her brooding friend over the weekend. He'd texted her about his articles, he was working on two of them at the moment, but she'd really wanted to talk to him more about Miss Grundy. She closed up the Blue and Gold office and was about to leave when he appeared in the doorway.

"Juggie, I was looking for you," she said, turning off her lamp and picking up her purse.

"Here I am," he replied, coolly.

"Can you come with me someplace? I wanted to discuss something in private." She swore his gaze dropped to her mouth briefly. He gave a quick nod and gestured for her to walk ahead of him down the hallway. He locked the door for her and they left together. Once they were on the street together, he spoke.

"What's so private that you want me all to yourself?" he asked. He glanced at her, briefly while they walked. He had his walls up today, and was more guarded with her than usual.

"I want to break into Miss Grundy's house before it gets rented again."

A heavy hand landed on Betty's shoulder and her tall friend turned her around to face him. His expression was part curiosity, and part annoyance/anger.

"Betty, you already broke into her car. This would be a much bigger risk and she's already gone." He looked upset and shook his head briefly before turning away in exasperation. "She's a predator, Betty, but Archie's safe now and free to find someone else." He turned and tightened his lips while sweeping her with a look that was contemptuous. "You won, let it go."

Jughead's anger surprised Betty. She knew it was risky and that they could get into trouble but she hadn't expected him to make this about Archie and her.

"Juggie, it's not about Archie's relationship status," she snapped, a little hurt. His posture was stiff and he raised his eyebrows, unconvinced. She gritted her teeth and spoke calmly. "Veronica and I found evidence that she was using a false identity, she claimed that it was to escape an abusive husband, but what if it was something else?"

"Keep talking,"

"She had a gun, Juggie, and liked teenage gingers." She watched his face change and his posture relaxed slightly. "She took a big risk going with a student to the Sweet Water river on the 4th. What if it was to establish an alibi on the day that Jason disappeared?"

"Pretty risky alibi."

"Yeah, so scandalous that no one would accuse her of lying about it if she became a murder suspect and had to use it."

"You have a point." He glanced around them and then continued down the street. "But wouldn't she have taken everything with her?"

"She had a tiny VW Beetle, no way she could get all of her stuff out of her in one night."

Jughead nodded and looked at her sideways.

"You sure you want to do this?"

"Yes."

"What if I go on my own, instead?" He looked serious. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I was my idea, Juggie. I wouldn't let you take the fall."

"I don't _love_ your idea."

"Noted."

They went to Betty's house for dinner and Jughead kept up a good conversation about journalism and running a newspaper with Hal Cooper. Betty's mother seemed pleased that her daughter was taking such an interest in the family business. Jughead talked about doing a series of articles about life skills that teens should know, like balancing a checkbook, budgeting, changing a tire, and basic food prep.

When they finished, Jughead bade them goodnight and left and Betty went upstairs to study. Eventually her parents got ready for bed and Betty showered and changed into her pajamas. She waited an hour and then quietly got dressed and left the house.

Betty's partner-in-crime waited for her near Ms. Grundy's house. They slipped in through the back yard and, to her surprise Jughead nimbly picked the lock on the bathroom window. He climbed through quietly and let her in the kitchen door.

"You're disturbingly good at that," she whispered, turning on her flashlight. Jughead gripped the hand, the one holding the light, and lowered it.

"Keep it off until you need it," he said quietly. The light coming in the windows from the street and the neighbors' houses was enough to illuminate the home dully. The furniture was still there, and there was still food in the cupboards. Papers littered the kitchen table; Betty took a quick look but it just appeared to be random musical sheets with students' names on them.

"Let's check for an office." She inclined her head towards the rest of the house and Jughead nodded. He led the way, walking quietly through a tidy living room and eventually he took her hand and led her up the stairs. At the top, he pointed to the right and jerked his head to the left. Betty nodded and let go if his hand, walking into the room on the right. Her friend went to the left and they both turned on their flashlights.

Betty stood in the bedroom where the sketchy music teacher had likely statutorily raped her best friend. The bed was stripped down to the mattress and when she peeked under it, found nothing. She looked in the bureau and tiny bathroom but came up equally empty-handed. She went to the doorway and saw Jughead standing across the hall. He shook his head and shrugged.

From downstairs, both teens heard the sound of a key in the lock on the front door and a woman's laugh. Jughead dashed silently across the hall and grabbed Betty by the waist. He practically lifted her off her feet and brought her into the room. He pulled the door to within a few inches of the doorjam and steered her to the bare mattress where he shoved her onto her back and climbed on top of her.

"This is too cliché!" Betty whispered fiercely as her friend yanked his hooded sweatshirt off and jerked open the front of her blouse. He clamped a hand over her mouth when she started to protest and leaned down until their faces were close. He watched the doorway and they both listened. They heard footsteps downstairs and a woman speaking in a low voice. Betty became impatient and reached a hand down to grab one of Jughead's nipples through his t-shirt and gave it a hard twist.

The dark-haired teen winced and let go of her mouth. He gripped both of her wrists and shoved them to the mattress on either side of her head.

"Quiet!" he hissed.

"I think it's the realtor," Betty whispered, looking towards the door. She listened to the woman downstairs talking on the phone with someone about the furniture left behind for a minute, and then looked back up and met Juggie's dark gaze. He was staring down at her with an expression that was…hungry. He licked his lips and stared at her mouth.

Jughead was far too close to Betty. He cursed himself for going along with her plan of breaking and entering. He could feel far too much of her; so soft and warm beneath him. He knew he should stand up and put some distance between them, but she was just so close. She was inches away. He closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers. He moved his hands from her wrists to cup her cheek. She wrapped her arms around him and he felt her cool fingers run underneath his shirt and up his back.

Downstairs, the front door shut firmly; Betty broke the kiss and turned to look at the door. Above her, her Juggie's lips trailed along her jaw and to the side of her neck. He placed small kisses in the hollow of her collarbone and pressed his hips into her. She felt the firm ridge of his erection against her and fought the urge to push against the pleasant pressure. His mouth moved down to the top swell of her breasts and she grabbed one of his ears.

"Ow." He said, lifting his head. He looked down at her and then at the door. "Sorry. We should go."

Betty sneaked back into her bedroom unseen. She'd stopped at the convenience store for her favorite coffee creamer as an excuse and dropped it off in the fridge in case she'd been caught. She rubbed her neck and thought she could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers. She knew she was in for another sleepless night.

Jughead waited outside the house where he'd just been kissing his friend for twenty minutes. He realtor wouldn't be back that night so he let himself back inside, made himself a sandwich from the food she'd left behind and lay down on the couch. His whole body ached for Betty, and he contemplated a cold shower. Opting for a quicker solution to the painful problem he was having, he unbuckled his belt and slipped his hand inside his jeans. Burning with shame, he gave himself some relief in the house where a woman had taken advantage of his closest friend, and where he'd pressed his situation with another friend.

A single tear slipped out of Jones' eye and he clenched his teeth to keep from calling out as he climaxed, like a guilty school boy, and then tried to get some sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Got to tear them apart before they can come back together. Sorry this is so short, next chapters will be longer.

Jughead was a ghost for the next two weeks. He got all of his articles done on time, and the communicated about the paper, but he did most of his communication via text and email. When Betty was formatting, he'd helped her but had stayed several yards from her for most of it and never mention the events at Ms. Grundy's house. He didn't talk about anything personal at all, and seemed uncomfortable around her. As with everything else, Betty wondered what she'd done wrong. She replayed the events in the bedroom over and over in her head, and wondered if her brooding friend was upset that she dragged him into a situation where they'd broken the law, or if he was upset about something else.

Betty hadn't been afraid when her friend had thrown her onto a mattress. She'd figured out his plan immediately, she just hadn't agreed with it being the wisest choice at that moment. She had reacted naturally to having her shirt ripped open by him and to having him cover her mouth with his hand. It hadn't been until he'd put his weight on her, and held her still that her feelings changed. She was accustomed to sharing space, quite comfortably with him, but it was different when he had been lying on top of her and holding her hands down. He'd seemed a little more…male.

Betty wasn't into being dominated or manhandled by men, but something about that night had caused her to forget about the danger they'd been in. It had been the way he'd looked at her, she decided. She touched her lips briefly when she remembered the warm pressure of his mouth as it had touched hers for the first time. Juggie had been staring at her in a way she'd never seen before. Was it like the time in her bedroom, when he'd reminded her that he was a guy. Not a guy, he'd said "I'm still a man." Had he been implying that he was as weak as any other man when close to a woman? Any woman? Had that been the case at Grundy's house?

Jones was a young man who'd been wiggling around on top of a woman his age and what had happened was just male hormones. He was being distant now because he didn't want to lead Betty to think there was something more. She opted to go with this theory because the alternative would have given her hope, and she'd recently come to understand the pain of putting herself out there, filled with hope, only to be crushed. It was better this way. But Betty Cooper didn't need anyone to tiptoe around her in order to prevent her from pining.

Jughead watched Betty at Vixens' practice. It wasn't the first time he'd enjoyed watching cheerleaders, and he told himself it was because he occasionally appreciated looking at legs. He wasn't like Archie who seemed to burn like a torch when it came to women. The sensitive ginger was hyper-aware of the fairer sex, and always deferred to them with a slightly old-fashioned chivalry. Jughead was more of a pilot light when it came to women. He'd rarely been more interested in them than his own hobbies, or at least not enough to put himself out there and risk rejection. He was comfortable in his confirmed bachelorhood, and it made him less awkward around girls, but Betty Cooper had penetrated his armor.

The lovely blonde had not allowed the Jones boy to keep her at arm's length, but she'd never flirted in any meaningful way. She'd never asked him to give up more of himself than he wanted, and she hadn't treated him like an outcast. She'd been his friend.

Jughead noticed women, he noted which ones were pretty and had attractive bodies, he'd fantasized about his share of them over the years, but none of them had made him want to get any closer. Betty Cooper was the only one that really 'did it' for him, and he'd probably ruined it. He was cautious, by nature, but being so close to her had broken his control. He wondered if she'd thought he was too rough with her, throwing her down like a caveman, holding her still and then kissing her. He hadn't even meant for anything to happen, and hadn't been thinking about the personal nature of a calculated embrace. And then it had just happened. His pilot light flared and nothing had mattered except kissing her.

Betty had tasted as warm and soft as Jughead had imagined. The skin on her neck and chest had been the smoothest he'd touched in a long time, and her hair had been fine and silky. He watched her now, and felt the same hunger as before. She was picking up her pom poms after some kind of dance routine and, as if she felt the heaviness of his thoughts, turned around and looked straight at him. He'd picked a spot on the bleachers where the Vixens' location would leave him partially obscured by the railings at the end, but Betty knew he was there.

Jughead debated running away, but he couldn't hide from his friend forever, and he wasn't willing to give up her friendship. He closed his laptop and watched her walk towards him, resting his chin on his palm.

"Can I sit?" she asked, when she reached him.

"Just don't get any school spirit on me," he said, blandly.

"I'll do my best to contain it," she replied, quickly falling into their usual banter. "You've been avoiding me, Juggie." She pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them, turning to watch the rest of the athletic field. "Are you mad at me?"

"What makes you think I'm-"

"Can you just answer a question without asking another one?" She was still watching the field.

"I'm not mad… _at_ you." She glanced in his direction, briefly.

"Are you mad because of me?"

"Maybe." He knew he was screwing this up. "I don't want to give you the wrong idea about what I want, Betts." He watched his sanity slide away and was helpless to stop his insecurity from digging a deeper hole. "One of the pitfalls of having an attractive friend, is that you can't reason with your hormones when she's the person you're…"

"Throwing onto a bed." He could hear the chill in her voice. Betty continued when he remained silent. "You're only human, right? And your reaction would have been the same if you were playing Hardy Boys with Cheryl Blossom." She shrugged daintily. "I get it, Juggie, but it's no reason to ghost me. It wasn't my fault you got excited so quickly."

"No, it wasn't." He lied. "Most guys my age would probably have had the same reaction to you in that situation."

"Yeah, you were helpless against my feminine charms." She sounded bitter. "You guys really are all the same."

"You're right." He stood up and moved down to the next step, directly in front of her. "We've all got the same nature, and you shouldn't trust me any more than anyone else. I'm sorry." He turned as soon as her face started to crumple. He was an ass. He was the absolute lowest scum on the earth. Not just because he'd perpetuated an antiquated belief system that threw the responsibility of men's behavior at Betty's feet, but because he'd hurt her. He'd hurt Betty to keep her from discovering how different she really was from other girls.


	4. Chapter 4

Jughead had blindly hoped that he and Betty could fall back into their old routine after he attempted to re-establish where they stood. She was the ghost now; a paler version of the person she'd been. Quieter, more withdrawn, and asking less of him. She seemed fine when she was with Veronica, and fine in classes, but when they were alone, in the newspaper office was the only place he could make that happen, it was like they were strangers. She was coolly polite, but never dismissive or rude, it just wasn't in her nature. He missed basking in the warmth of her smile.

Jughead didn't just miss Betty, he hated to see her in pain. Archie's rejection of her bold confession had plunged a knife into her chest, now he'd lumped her in as no more desirable than any other girl. He knew Cheryl was throwing a party that night and Betty would be there. He was going to try and apologize.

Betty picked up a glass of white wine early and sipped it while she and Veronica strolled around the Balcony that ran the length of one wall above the large living room for the first hour. It was unusual for Veronica to stay back, but Betty knew her friend was trying to make her more comfortable.

"Your shadow's here." Veronica was looking over Betty's shoulder she saw Jughead leaning against a wall, arms folded, and staring at her.

"He can scowl all he likes," Betty said, finishing her glass. "I'm going to have some fun." She walked towards the wall where her friend stood and just as he straightened up, she veered off to the side and walked down the stairs to the bustling living room. The Blossom house was made for entertaining, and she wanted entertainment. She slowed her pace and moved through the crowd until she bumped into Reggie. He'd already had a few and just wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. She let the thrumming baseline from the speakers wash over her. She leaned into the big, muscular jock and moved with him. His hand strayed down towards her bottom but she didn't stop him.

"This is a fine mess." Jughead looked up from his spot at the edge of the balcony where he'd been watching Betty dance with the meathead. Veronica stood with her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"I didn't tell her to dance with that drunk idiot!" he replied angrily. The petite brunette pressed her lips together and raised a fine brow. "What?"

"You've been following her around like a pathetic puppy, Jughead." She was pulling no punches tonight. "You should have told her the truth."

"What do you know about it?"

"I know," she began, sliding her palm up the front of his chest, "-that since I met you, you gravitate towards her." She stepped in close to him and one of her slender arms snaked around his neck. "And you kissed her, blew her off, and then told her that she's no more desirable than any other woman around." She pressed her petite, but curvy body against him and he automatically settled his hands at her waist.

"What are you trying to accomplish, Veronica?"

"Proving a point, Jones." She gripped his hip with one hand and slid one of her thighs between his. He didn't break eye contact with her, but didn't back down either.

"What's that?"

"She's the only woman you really want." She pulled his hips into hers and smiled triumphantly. His body hadn't responded to her, the way it had with Betty.

"Maybe I'm just not in the mood." He slid his fingers into her dark hair and smiled, darkly. "If you want to try to get me there, I'm sure there's an empty bedroom around here."

"I almost believe you," Veronica said after a moment. She leaned up, quickly with her head tilted. He jerked his head back and she gave him a vicious smile. He wouldn't let her kiss him. "I can't stand to see her cry, Jughead." She turned and looked back at the floor where Reggie was urging Betty towards the stairs that led to the bedrooms. "And if she tries to get back her confidence with an insensitive jerk like Reggie, she'll hate herself."

"I'll handle it."

"You'd better." Veronica walked away from him and he watched the sultry brunette's hips sway. Given a little more time, he'd have probably gotten hot and bothered, Veronica had serious game. But he focused on Betty and moved around the edges of the crowd.

Reggie's large hand clasped Betty's as he started up the steps towards the darkened hallway.

"Where are we going?" she asked, pausing.

"Somewhere quieter, so we can talk." He saw he hesitate and dropped her hand. "So, you're just a tease then?"

"No, she has standards." Jughead stepped into view and took Betty's hand. Without stopping he pulled her away from the crowd and headed for the kitchen.

"Let go, Juggie," Betty said, tiredly. He didn't stop until they were past the kitchen and had reached the door to the wine cellar. "I don't want to talk," she said, yanking her hand away. He turned to look back at her. She spun away from him and stood in the doorway that led to the pool. She didn't need him to ride in like a rescuer and then talk down to her.

Betty felt a long arm snake around her waist and lift her off her feet. She let out a short yelp but Jughead had pulled her into a nearby closet.

"I suppose you'd rather prove some point by rushing off with Mantle, who is certain to relieve you of the burden of your virginity with the utmost care and sensitivity, than talk to me."

"What makes you think I'm a-"

"Because I know you, Betty. I know you've had it in your head for the last year, at least, that you and Archie could be each others' 'first times'." He said, sneering theatrically at the girly term. Betty looked away but he could see her lips tremble. "And Archie had no idea what he was missing," he continued, angrily, gesturing up and down his friend's body. "Instead, he wasted it on the first woman to make a pass at him." Betty turned away from him and faced the mirror on the back of the closet door. It was a big closet, after all it was the Blossoms' house, but dimly lit. Jughead walked up behind her but she wouldn't meet his gaze. "I'm sorry I hurt you." His voice was tired and defeated.

"You just said it like it is."

"When Archie and I stopped hanging out this summer, I stayed away from you because I didn't want to ask you to choose." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I knew who you'd have chosen." Watery blue eyes met his in the mirror. "The night I met Veronica, I'd had no idea how much I'd missed you." He moved close enough to feel the warmth of her body through their clothes. "The last two weeks have been Hell."

"Don't get to close, Juggie," she said, quietly. "I wouldn't want my presence as a female to get you excited."

"Everything about you gets me excited." He made his confession and watched her eyes widen. "Betts, I shouldn't have touched you when we were at Grundy's house." His gaze was intense.

"Why?"

"I thought it wouldn't matter if I was going through the motions." He turned away from her and paced a few feet towards the back of the closet and came back. "The bed, the clothes, it was an act and I thought I could get away with it because we were scared and I was just going to hold you."

"You kissed me," she said, softly. He returned to stand behind her.

"The kiss was real for me," he said. "I stopped caring about anyone else in the house and all I could think about was you."

"Why was that so bad?"

"Archie made what might turn out to be one of the biggest mistakes of his life with Geraldine Grundy, or whatever her name is." His arms went around her and he hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I couldn't understand how he could let something happen and get so carried away."

"No?"

"No, I've never lost myself with anyone, and never even came close." He turned his head into her hair and inhaled deeply. "Not until that moment when we were on the bed together."

"So you made me feel-" she began but he cut her off.

"I lied to you because I didn't want to feel like that again; like I was giving up control to someone else."

"So it's about control with you?" Betty's voice was soft now, and her hands gripped his jeans and pulled him closer. He braced a hand on the mirror when her round bottom connected with his pelvis.

"Betty, what are you doing?" He choked out when she rubbed against him again. He tightened his grip on her shoulders and pushed forward. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as they rocked together. Each time they connected he became more painfully erect.

"You hurt me because you wanted to be in control." He opened her eyes and saw a different person in her steady gaze. "I want to take it from you." She reached behind her and brushed the front of his jeans with her fingers, making him gasp. He buried his face in her neck and breathed her in while she stroked him through his jeans.

"I don't-" he began, struggling for words. "I-I can't-"

"Yes you can," Betty replied. Her voice was steady and firm. "Show me how you want me to touch you." She gave him a quick pat before dropping her hand from the front of his jeans. Frantically, he fumbled to open his belt with one hand while he spun her around with the other. He gripped the back of her neck and crushed her mouth with his while he pushed her hand into his open zipper.

When Betty's hand came into contact with the swollen flesh, her eyes widened. She curled her fingers around him and ran her thumb over the slick head. Jughead let out a gasp and trembled with the effort to hold still.

"Just like that," he whispered when she moved her hand from the head down to the broader bottom.

"It's bigger than I remember," she said, giving him a few slow strokes and then a few quick ones.

"What?" He choked out, trying to focus on her words.

"A few years back I saw you naked when you were changing in Archie's back yard after swimming." She gave him a quick, playful smile and she was back to the Betty he remembered. "I peeked when I went inside to change after one of our trips to the beach." She was looking down at her hand.

"I can pretty much guarantee you that anything you see after a guy has been swimming-Ah!" Jughead stopped speaking and tilted his head back as Betty tightened her grip and began to move again. He shoved a hand up her blouse and recaptured her mouth. He pushed her bra up and ran his thumb over a taught nipple while he tasted the sweet wine she'd been drinking. To his chagrin, she broke the kiss and removed his hand from her breast.

" _I'm_ touching _you_ this time," she said, softly. Jughead groaned but placed his hands on the mirror on either side of her and let the sensations wash over him.

"I'm close," he groaned, leaning his forehead against hers and fumbling in his pocket for a tissue. Betty didn't give him time and he climaxed hard, clenching his fists and desperately trying to make no sound. When his body stopped trembling, he felt Betty release his now-limp flesh and discretely wipe off her hand on her jeans.

"See you Monday."

Jughead grabbed the front of his pants and tucked himself away quickly. Betty opened the closet door and slipped out, leaving him to try and catch his breath.


	5. Chapter 5

Betty heard the door to the newspaper office open. It was a Saturday, so not many people were supposed to be inside the school. The track team had a meet that day and the drama club was in the library, but no one was supposed to be in this part of the building. She brushed off her flowered skirt and stood up from behind the desk.

Jughead closed the door behind him and locked it. Betty started forward and he turned around to face her.

"We need to talk," he said, with a dark expression. He wore jeans and a t-shirt with his usual hoodie but was without his usual backpack. Betty started to back away when he advanced on her.

"So why do you need to lock the door?"

"Privacy." He continued to stalk across the floor and she continued to retreat. "I want to talk about what happened in the closet at Cheryl's house."

"Can't we talk about it later?" she asked, trying to stall him. She didn't have classes or anything else going on that day as an excuse.

"No, it has to be today," he said. She was backed up against the wall and he stood directly in front of her. She looked off to the side and crossed her arms, defiantly.

"Why does it have to be today?" she asked.

"You're wearing a skirt."

Betty's head snapped up and she looked at him wide-eyed. Jughead took the opportunity and kissed her. His arms went around her and he held her tightly, moving his lips over hers until she started to arch against him. Then he broke the kiss, leaving her looking dazed, and pushed her backwards towards the couch. She stumbled as she walked, and when her legs hit the arm of the couch, she sat abruptly.

"I thought you wanted to talk." Her voice shook with tension.

"We can talk," he replied, unzipping his sweatshirt and dropping it behind him on the floor. "Eventually."

"Juggie, I-"

"This time," he said, dropping to his knees in front of her and placing his palms on the sides of her legs. "You said 'I'm touching you this time,' when we were in the closet." He gave her a small smile when her eyes widened. This was _his_ Betty Cooper. Not the woman who'd demanded his compliance in the closet. His Betty blushed and grabbed his wrists when he moved his hands up her thighs and under her skirt.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

"Something that's been on my mind since the night you asked me to zip up your dress," He replied. He kept his eyes on her face while he reached for her panties and lifted her bottom to tug them over her hips and down her legs. He moved between her legs in order to get closer to her, but stayed on his knees.

"Y-your hands are freezing," Betty stammered, still wide-eyed.

"I took a very long, very cold shower before I came here," he replied. "I wanted to keep my mind clear." He tugged her knees towards him and scooted her forward until she was at the edge of the couch cushions.

"What are you going to do, Juggie?" Her voice was barely a whisper now.

"Everything." He caught her face in his hands and kissed her, hard and deep. She responded and gripped his arms. He broke the kiss again and pushed her back to the cushions and lifted her knees up to his shoulders with a quick tug. "I've been doing a lot of research," he said. Betty struggled to sit up and started to protest.

"Wait, you're not going to-Oh!"

Jughead pushed the knit skirt up to her hips and let it fall over his head. He held Betty's trembling thighs with his hands and used his lips on her. He was gentle and slow when he started, inhaling her feminine scent and getting his first taste of her. When she let out a soft sound, he picked up speed with his lips and tongue, licking and sucking at her most sensitive area.

Betty pressed the backs of her hands to her eyes and bit her lip, fighting the unexpected pleasure. She'd been so surprised by his actions that she hadn't had time to get anxious or nervous. She jerked when Jughead gave a particularly intense suck on her clitoris and smacked her head on the back of the couch. He came out from under her skirt and wrangled her onto her back, lengthwise while hanging off the side of the couch and retuning to his task.

Betty never expected that oral sex would be a kind of salvation for her, but as she slid her fingers into Juggie's soft, dark curls and arched up against his mouth she felt freer than she had in a long time. She bucked and writhed and couldn't stop the tiny moans that came out of her mouth, faster and faster, as she panted. When her climax hit her, she tightened her thighs around the dark head between her legs and bit down on her hand to stop herself from screaming. She still let out a high-pitched noise in the back of her throat when he slid one long finger inside of her as her internal muscled fluttered and squeezed.

Betty opened her eyes when she heard the clink of a belt buckle. The gaze that met hers was dark and focused.

"We're doing this while you're still wet," he said yanking open his jeans. She didn't look when he tore open the foil packet with his teeth and rolled the protection down his shaft. He unbuttoned her shirt hastily and pushed her bra up to her collarbone. He sighed when he finally saw her naked breasts. She tugged at his t-shirt and he jerked it over his head before leaning down to kiss and fondle the firm orbs he'd been cheated out of during their last encounter.

Jughead ran his tongue around one stiff nipple and Betty arched up with a small cry. Her nerve endings were still over stimulated from her orgasm and reacted with sharp bolts of pleasure that zinged to her belly. His lips moved to her neck while he used his fingers to find the right spot between her legs. She felt the broad head of his erection probing at her and looked up at the ceiling.

"Look at me," Juggie said, rising above her and bracing his foot on the floor. Betty's eyelids fluttered briefly before focusing on him. He cupped her face and kissed her when he pushed inside. The first thrust was hard and short, since her body was unaccustomed to this type of activity. She stiffened and clutched at his shoulders when the pain hit. He backed off and thrust again, getting in farther and taking the sting to a burn. "Almost there," he whispered against her mouth and withdrew again before pushing himself inside her to the hilt.

Jughead was glad he'd taken the cold shower, and equally glad he'd opted to relieve his tension before getting under the cold spray. He was sure now that being balls-deep inside of Betty would have caused him to climax almost instantly if he hadn't taken steps to hold off the inevitable. This was the part that took all of his focus. She was trembling with tension, and he knew it had been painful for her. He fought the urge to move inside her and kissed her instead.

Betty started to relax as Jughead continued to kiss her and use his finger tips to stimulate her nipple. He began to move, slowly taking long, deep strokes, in and out. The ache eased and she began to arch her hips up to meet his thrusts. He was moving faster now, sharp, jabbing thrusts, and he pulled her leg up around his hip when his movements started to get jerky and erratic. He bucked his pelvis against her and she felt a second wave of pleasure, more subtle this time, and clutched him to her as he rode out her climax with his own.


End file.
